Plan a flight · Mon 12:42 am CDT (05:42 UTC)

Huntsville Intl-Carl T Jones Field to Chicago O'Hare International HSV → ORD

444 nautical miles (511 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 353°, about 357° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 4 h at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 9-knot headwind), arriving about 4:42 am CDT (09:42 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now HSV is VFR, wind from the east (090°) at 3 knots; ORD is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 5 knots. For planning, not a briefing: the legal preflight briefing comes from Flight Service (1-800-WX-BRIEF) or the FAA's own tools. Airlines fly this pair: 3,045 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.

The route the straight line, the warnings crossed, restrictions, pilot reports and the airports along the way · click a mark for its words

Green, blue, red and purple airport dots are the flying conditions reported there now (VFR, marginal VFR, IFR, low IFR); grey means no report. Red areas are SIGMETs, orange areas AIRMETs, hatched red areas temporary flight restrictions. Map tiles: OpenFreeMap, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Warnings the route crosses SIGMETs and AIRMETs whose area the line passes through or comes within 25 nm of

AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 286 nm of the route.

A SIGMET warns of weather hazardous to all aircraft; an AIRMET of weather that matters to small aircraft and to flying without instruments. "From 60 to 180 nm out" is measured along the route from HSV.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

B38M at 29,000 ft, 22 nm west, 11:52 pm CDT (04:52 UTC): no turbulence from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft. 365 nm along the route, 22 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TIP UA /OV RBS/TM 0452/FL290/TP B38M/TB NEG 230-290
```
Report
a routine report filed through TIP
Where
over RBS
Time
04:52 UTC
Height
at 29,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Turbulence
no from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 02:00–09:00 UTC · at 120 knots true airspeed

The westbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: even thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 5 forecast points nearest it (HSV, BNA, EVV, IND, JOT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

Height	Average wind	Head- or tailwind	Temperature	Ground speed	Time en route	Arrival
4,500 ft	300° at 17 kt	+9 kt		111 kt	4 h	4:42 am CDT (09:42 UTC)
6,500 ft	310° at 17 kt	+12 kt	15 °C	108 kt	4 h 07 min	4:49 am CDT (09:49 UTC)
8,500 ft	310° at 18 kt	+13 kt	11 °C	107 kt	4 h 09 min	4:51 am CDT (09:51 UTC)
10,500 ft	320° at 15 kt	+12 kt	7 °C	108 kt	4 h 07 min	4:49 am CDT (09:49 UTC)
12,500 ft	320° at 14 kt	+12 kt	3 °C	108 kt	4 h 07 min	4:49 am CDT (09:49 UTC)
14,500 ft	320° at 17 kt	+13 kt	0 °C	107 kt	4 h 09 min	4:51 am CDT (09:51 UTC)
16,500 ft	310° at 20 kt	+15 kt	-4 °C	105 kt	4 h 14 min	4:56 am CDT (09:56 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	310° at 23 kt	+16 kt	-7 °C	104 kt	4 h 16 min	4:58 am CDT (09:58 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	320° at 27 kt	+22 kt	-18 °C	98 kt	4 h 32 min	5:14 am CDT (10:14 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	320° at 42 kt	+36 kt	-33 °C	84 kt	5 h 17 min	5:59 am CDT (10:59 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	310° at 56 kt	+43 kt	-42 °C	77 kt	5 h 46 min	6:28 am CDT (11:28 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	320° at 53 kt	+45 kt	-51 °C	75 kt	5 h 55 min	6:37 am CDT (11:37 UTC)

Based on data from the 12th at 00:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 06:00 UTC for use 02:00 to 09:00 UTC; temperatures above 24,000 ft are below zero. Heights are above sea level; a height is left out when the forecast has no wind for it over most of the line (the ground is higher). Ground speed is the airspeed less the headwind; the time en route is for the straight line and ignores climb, descent and routing around weather.

The forecast points as issued

Point	From	3,000	6,000	9,000	12,000	18,000	24,000	30,000	34,000	39,000
HSV	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	310/20	330/20 16°	320/27 11°	340/23 5°	320/23 -7°	340/30 -17°	320/50 -33°	330/61 -41°	340/41 -50°
BNA	used from 49 nm out; 21 nm from the line	310/20	340/20 17°	330/24 10°	340/22 5°	330/26 -6°	340/29 -18°	330/52 -33°	320/62 -41°	340/45 -50°
EVV	used from 148 nm out; 37 nm from the line	280/15	290/12 17°	310/16 10°	320/13 5°	310/22 -6°	320/26 -18°	320/38 -33°	310/56 -41°	320/55 -51°
IND	used from 247 nm out; 64 nm from the line	290/16	310/20 16°	320/21 10°	330/13 3°	300/25 -7°	320/32 -19°	330/46 -34°	320/61 -43°	320/63 -50°
JOT	used from 345 nm out; 51 nm from the line	250/23	270/22 15°	250/16 10°	240/9 4°	280/22 -7°	280/29 -19°	300/29 -34°	290/50 -43°	300/64 -52°

The weather now: both ends and the airports along the way public airports with a weather report within 25 nm of the line, one for each stretch

Airport	Where	Conditions	Wind	Visibility	Ceiling	Elevation	Reported
HSV Huntsville, AL	departure	VFR	from the east (090°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	628 ft	11:53 pm CDT (04:53 UTC)
GZS Pulaski, TN	30 nm out, 11 nm west of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog	calm	0.25 mi	200 ft	688 ft	05:15 UTC
MQY Smyrna, TN	79 nm out, 22 nm east of the line, tower	reported, no category	calm		none	543 ft	05:16 UTC
JWN Nashville, TN	89 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line, tower	low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog	calm	0.25 mi	200 ft	501 ft	05:15 UTC
JQD Hartford, KY	168 nm out, 16 nm east of the line	no report just now				537 ft
OWB Owensboro, KY	187 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower	marginal VFR Weather: mist	calm	4 mi	none	407 ft	04:56 UTC
SIV Sullivan, IN	266 nm out, 4 nm north of the line	no report just now				539 ft
HUF Terre Haute, IN	286 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line, tower	IFR Weather: mist	calm	1.5 mi	none	589 ft	05:36 UTC
DNV Danville, IL	335 nm out, 1 nm northeast of the line	no report just now				696 ft
IKK Kankakee, IL	385 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line	VFR	from the south (190°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	629 ft	05:35 UTC
LOT Chicago/Romeoville, IL	424 nm out, 11 nm west of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southeast (160°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	679 ft	05:15 UTC
ORD Chicago, IL	destination	VFR	from the south (180°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	680 ft	11:51 pm CDT (04:51 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 696 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At ORD when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:42 am CDT (09:42 UTC)

Wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for ORD

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet

The forecast for HSV, the departure

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, clear skies
At times between Mon 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC) and 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist, clear skies
From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

6/0708 Goodlettsville, TN, Saturday, August 1, 2026 through Sunday, August 1, 2027 UTC 15 nm from the route, 99 nm along the route · security · until 1 August · ZME

Daylight

Sunset at HSV 6:16 pm CDT (23:16 UTC), at ORD 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:43 pm CDT (23:43 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ORD is before sunrise there (7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC)).

Each restriction opens the FAA's own page with the exact area, heights and times. Ordinary notices to air missions (closed runways, lights out) are not shown: the FAA's notice search is not open to sites like this one at this time.

Radar and forecast charts for the regions crossed government pictures, the latest each time the page loads

Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Sources: the Aviation Weather Center's data service (SIGMETs, AIRMETs, graphical AIRMETs, pilot reports, winds and temperatures aloft, observations and terminal forecasts), the National Weather Service radar, the Weather Prediction Center's charts, the FAA's temporary flight restriction list and shapes, and the FAA's airport file for the positions, elevations and magnetic variation. Fetched when the page is viewed and kept a few minutes. Each leg is the straight line between its two airports; airways, terrain and airspace are not considered. The airports in detail: Huntsville Intl-Carl T Jones Field, Chicago O'Hare International.